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The New York Times
U.S.
Confession Revealed,
Freeing Prisoner of
26 Years
By AP from
nytimes.com on the Web, April 20, 2008
CHICAGO -- A man who has been
in prison for 26 years for murder was granted a new trial and released on bond
Friday, with the help of two lawyers who came forward with a client’s confession
after he died in prison.
The family of the man who was freed, Alton Logan, had taken up a collection in
the lobby of the Cook County Criminal Courthouse and quickly raised the $1,000
they needed to post bond.
A dozen friends and family members broke into applause as Mr. Logan, 54, left
the building. He said tearfully that it felt great to be free.
Mr. Logan’s younger brother, Eugene, was adamant that he would be exonerated.
“Nobody deserves to be locked away for 26 years for something they didn’t do,”
said Eugene Logan, 48, of Portland, Ore. “It’s a blessing today that my
brother’s been released. He’s not been exonerated yet, but we’re going
back to court and it will happen.”
Two lawyers recently revealed that a former client, Andrew Wilson, admitted to
the crime that sent Mr. Logan to prison, but attorney-client privilege had kept
them from coming forward.
Mr. Wilson’s death last year allowed the lawyers to unseal an affidavit stating
that Mr. Logan was not responsible for the fatal shooting of a security guard,
Lloyd Wickliffe, at a McDonald’s restaurant in January 1982.
One of the lawyers who signed the affidavit, Dale Coventry, said Friday night
that he hoped prosecutors would acknowledge they went in the wrong direction
with the case. A message left with the Cook County State’s Attorney’s
Office was not returned Friday.
“Poor Mr. Logan was locked up all these years for something he didn’t do,” Mr.
Coventry said.
He added that he wished the release “had happened a lot sooner, but
unfortunately there was no way to do anything.”
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